Collins backs out of ISS spacesuit contract with NASA

[Admin]

Collins Aerospace has exited a contract to develop new spacesuits for NASA following talks with the agency.

Collins backs out of ISS spacesuit contract with NASA : Read more

 

[Cdr. Shepard]

I wonder if Axiom will be picking up the slack, or if this means onboarding a new supplier (a disconcerting thought). I can't imagine anyone can start from scratch and beat Collins' timeline. NASA must have a back-up plan running in parallel to the latest talks with Collins.

 

[billslugg]

From the article:
" "Collins recognized its development timeline would not support the space station's schedule and NASA's mission objectives." It's unclear why Collins pulled out of the contract."

The "why" is self evident. Collins refuses to cower to NASAs "schedule driven" mentality. Same thing that caused the Challenger explosion. I spent a career dealing with "schedule driven" senior managers. "Bill, you don't have the big picture. You just don't realize how important it is to hold this schedule. And, by the way you don't get any more money or people, just work harder. Pull this one off and manna will rain from Heaven, you'll be a hero."

And then what happens is you go all out, call in a bunch of chits, borrow from Peter, pull the project out of a hat, manager gets promoted, disappears. No manna. When I walk down the carpeted hallway on the sacred 6th floor, as I pass each gold nameplate I see the office as a plywood stand at a carnival with some barker cajoling me to come in and see the naked lady. It never goes well. You always get a haircut. In today's vernacular the barker says: "Wait 'til the end!"